Page 87 of Grown

“Me?” Shea laughs. “Oh, please.”

“Yeah. I made sure that you could stay in school. Korey paid for it!”

She flashes me a hard stare.

“I would’ve rather dropped out,” she hisses. “Like, do you think I wanted this? It’s hard enough being the only black girl in ninth grade, but having an older sister be some grown-ass man’s... I don’t know what. All I know is I’m not allowed over my friends’ houses because of you. When people talk about you, they’re talking about me, wondering if I like old men too. When they talk about you, they’re talking about Mom and Daddy, wondering what kind of fucked-up parents would send their daughter off with some man. You wanted to be with him, no matter what it madeuslook like.”

Shea turns her back to me. I can’t find the words to accurately describe what I feel. Shock. Guilt. Shame. I thought if I told her all I did, how I gave up my dream to protect her, she’d have to forgive me.

But it doesn’t seem right to shove that in her face. That’s something Korey would do.

“How did you find us?”

Mom’s voice is sharp, but Louie doesn’t seem to notice. He’s busy sipping Mom’s limeade, appreciating the family photos on the wall. He’s a strange artifact of my recent past sitting on our sofa in my present.

“I got friends in high places,” Louie says. “Looking good, Enchanted! I’m digging the buzz cut.”

Daddy jumps to his feet, bellowing, “Aye, it’s time for you to go!”

“Hey, hey! Easy! I’m messing with y’all! Chanty, your friend Derrick? He hooked me up with your info.”

Daddy’s and Mom’s heads snap at me and I give an approving nod.

“It’s all right. Derrick... is a friend.”

Louie takes a relieved sigh, clutching his chest with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry. Figured a little humor would lighten the mood. Especially after everything you’ve been through.”

I squirm in my seat. “You know?”

He shrugs. “The music industry is small. We hear things.”

“So everyone knows?”

He sets down his glass. “I mean, I don’t know exactly what happened with Korey. I’ve heard about his... taste in the past. Everyone has.”

“And y’all just allow it?” Mom says, hands on her hips.

“He makes RCA millions. It’s easy for them to ignore and bury whatever stories may come up. Christ sakes, the guy is arock star! Known all over the world!”

Mom shakes her head in disgust. “Just a bunch of grown men letting another grown man chase after children! Cowards!”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Louie says.

“Well, we’re waiting until she’s up to it to go to the police,” Mom says. “We don’t want to put her through any unnecessary stress yet. But maybe we should go now.”

“I’d hold off on that. Just for the time being.”

“Why?” Daddy snaps. “I want that fool behind bars, so I’m not tempted to kill him.”

“I’ma keep it real with you. Your daughter’s dream is to be a star. If you go to the police, labels will blackball her. She won’t stand a chance. It’ll be some little girl’s word against Korey Fields. But if we build up her name, it’ll beEnchanted’s word against his. That holds more weight.”

I sit back as it hits me. “You still want to be my manager?”

He smirks. “Well, I didn’t come all this way for the limeade, which is delicious, by the way.”

“Even after everything?”